I kinda love you, y'know?
by LinaRiceball
Summary: Kiri discovers new feelings for an old friend. (oc fic)


**A/N - sorry, another oc story DX I know this is getting annoying, please forgive me... :(**

**I was just thinking about this series and I came up with this cute little idea, and I didn`t know how to use any other characters besides Kiri because none of them would make it work~...**

**anyway, that`s why I had to use one of my characters (Shichi/"Shicchan") so I could get the two in this kind of situation. I thought it would be pretty fluffy, just a short, sweet light-hearted love story about her and Kiri. I`m trying hard to work my ideas around existing characters, but my ideas are... well, in one word, embarrassing. Not really the kind of stuff most characters would have happen to them. I`m sure there are a few, but I`m getting there...**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy it ^^ no comments necessary, but you know... if you want to, that would be great... I mean, no pressure or anything... um... o.o**

**(on with the fic :x)**

"Haah…" I sighed, stretching my arms above my head. "Closing time!"

Kiri smiled and joined me in the stretch.

"Yeah… time to go home," she said, looking out the sunlit window.

"Are we walking together, Kiri-chan?" I asked, even though I knew the answer.

Kiri simply nodded and chuckled a bit at the silly question. We grabbed our things and headed to my house.

The sun beamed brightly as we strolled down the afternoon path, well-trodden and welcomingly familiar. It was a matter of minutes before a conversation was struck.

"So…" Kiri began. I turned my head towards her, wide-eyed.

"Hm?" I replied, awaiting her continuation.

"…" Kiri turned her head and shook it off. "Nevermind, it`s nothing. How do you like volunteering at the salon?" She asked, changing the subject. I smiled cheerily.

"It`s great!" I answered happily. "It`s never too busy, and I`m not tripping up as much as I used to anymore," I said with an earnest smile. "And the best part is, I get to see you!"

Kiri chuckled.

"Glad you`re having fun, Shicchan," she said endearingly. "Oh…"

We slowly came to a stop as we reached a small house by the park.

"… This is your place, isn`t it?" She said, pointing in its general direction.

"Ah… yeah," I said, looking at the front door.

"Well… I guess I better get going," I said, politely excusing myself.

"Yeah… guess I`ll see you tomorrow, then," said Kiri, waving a hand.

"Yeah! See you tomorrow," I said back, returning the gesture. I was about to dig my keys out of my bag when I heard Kiri`s voice again.

"Wait," Kiri called from behind me. I turned around and looked at her.

"… Come to the salon tomorrow," she said. Her voice sounded a bit… off. I`d never heard her speak in such a tentative tone before. It was barely noticeable; hardly any different from her usual monotone voice that hid any apparent worry. But it was… different, somehow. It just didn`t sound right.

Worriedly, I looked around, then back at her. I adjusted the strap over my shoulder and nodded meekly. Kiri smiled.

"Then… I`ll see you later," she said, heading back the way she came. I looked after her, feeling slightly confused.

"… See you later," I said back quietly; not like it even mattered anyhow.

The next day was pretty normal. I had a math quiz, which lowered my spirits a little, but it wasn`t as hard as I thought it would be.

After school, I followed my friend`s orders and headed straight to the salon, even though I wasn`t volunteering today and I didn`t have an appointment.

I walked up to the door and slowly pushed it open.

"Um… excuse me…" I murmured into a seemingly empty room. I`d never seen the salon so quiet before.

With no answer to reassure me, I awkwardly slipped off my shoes and let myself in.

"Um…" I said a bit louder, closing the door behind me.

A low voice came from the corner of the room.

"Hey," said Kiri, emerging from my blind side.

"Wah!" I yelped, clutching my bag. "K-Kiri-chan, don`t scare me like that…" I said, nervously laughing it off. Kiri chuckled lightly.

"Sorry, I didn`t expect you to come so soon," she said. I followed her into the room with all the salon chairs and she motioned to them calmly. "Take a seat," she said, an outstretched hand held in the direction of one chair in-particular. It was no different from the others.

"…" I looked at her in shock. "Um… w-what about the places we normally sit…?"

Silence.

"I-I mean, n-not that there`s anything wrong with a salon chair, b-but I`d feel a bit more comfortable if…"

I looked to the sturdy-looking couch longingly.

"Hey, it`s OK." Kiri winked. I couldn`t help but blush and smile to myself at the reassuring gesture and Kiri`s loving face. I set my bag down and carefully lowered myself into the chair.

"Close your eyes for a minute," she said. I did as I was told. I could feel a shift of movement from behind me as the chair began to move up slightly. When it stopped, I felt a comb down my hair and a firm, steady hand following behind it.

"K… Kiri-chan…?" I said in a barely audible voice. There was no response as the hands continued to work their way down my long, bushy hair. It was only a matter of seconds before I heard a pair of scissors from a certain pocket. There was a light tugging sensation at the ends of my hair as the scissors began to move in and out, generating the soft snipping sound of hair being cut. I was nervous, but knowing that Kiri was behind me made me feel a lot better. It was over in minutes.

"You can open your eyes now," said Kiri, slipping her scissors back into her pocket. I peeked out from under my eyelids and into a mirror that was held out in front of me. Peeking back was a girl with thick, shoulder-length hair, which was neatly trimmed, professionally styled, and shiny. The sides of my fringe framed my face, and my hair looked very youthful and light. It wasn`t sloppy anymore, and it didn`t flop over my face like it used to. I stared at the mirror in amazement.

"Kiri-chan… I… y-you…"

I was speechless.

"I… I mean… w-why would you…"

Kiri leaned over the chair and hugged me. When we came back to each other at eye level, she started to talk again.

"Shicchan… you`re a really good friend. You`re always smiling, and you really cheer me up every day… you help out as much as you can, even when you`re busy, and you work so hard just because I`m here… you`ve done so much for me, and… well, I…"

She looked deeply into my big, blue eyes.

"… I kinda love you, y`know?"

She smiled, almost sheepishly. If I didn`t know any better, I`d say she was blushing.

My cheeks felt hot as I looked at her, my eyes wide.

"Kiri-chan…"

We just sat there in the comfortable silence, gazing at one another in the surreal atmosphere surrounding us. We stayed like that for a moment until I broke the silence yet again.

"Well, I guess… love is pretty magical, isn`t it?" I said with an honest smile. Kiri closed in on me and hugged me close. I hugged her back.

"You know, Shicchan… maybe this is the only kind of magic I need," she said lovingly, before planting a gentle kiss on my lips.


End file.
